Picking up momentum, 43.88 percent voting was recorded in Kerala up to 1 PM today in the 140 assembly constituencies.

Kannur, a politically sensitive northern district, recorded the highest turnout of 47.61 percent. Thiruvananthapuram saw the lowest of 36.14 percent in the first six hours after the polling began at 7 AM, election officials said.

Polling was peaceful across the state so far, police said. Tight security has been put in place with deployment of about 52,000 police personnel from state police forces.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today expressed confidence that the Cong-led UDF would ride back to power, while CPI(M) Polit Bureau Member and
Left Front's chief ministerial aspirant Pinarayi Vijayan claimed there was an "LDF wave" in the state.

The two leaders were among the early voters in the state.

Leader of the opposition in the assembly VS Achutanandan, who is contesting from Malampuzha in Palakkad district, visited various booths in his constituency this morning. "We are expecting good results." he said.

​Talking to reporters, Chandy refused to predict the number of seats the Front would win. "I am not predicting the number of seats we will win, but UDF will get good majority. There was lot of enthusiasm everywhere for UDF," he said. "If there is a continuation of UDF government, it is due to the result of the unity among its partners. If there is a setback, I am responsible for it as the Front Chairman," the Chief Minister said.

The BJP's performance will be "dismal", he said.

Vijayan, who cast his vote at Pinarayi in Kannur district, said for a prosperous 'Nava Kerala' (New Kerala), LDF will come to power.

According to Election Commissioner officials in Thiruvananthapuram, Waynad registered 31.03 percent polling followed by Kannur and Alappuzha which registered 30 percent polling while Thiruvananthapuram district recorded the lowest with 23.10 percent.

A overall turnout of 36.4 percent has been reported by Times Now.

11:50 (IST)

Voting picks up, 30% polling till 11 a.m

Voting appears to be gradually picking up in Kerala. A turnout of 30 percent has been recorded till 11 a.m in the state, ANI reported.

11:43 (IST)

Man dies of cardiac arrest while waiting to vote in Perambra

Kozhikode: An elderly man died of cardiac arrest on Monday morning while waiting to cast his vote at a polling station in Perambra, about 38 kms from Kozhikode, police said.

Kunhu Abdullah Haji (70) who was standing in queue to exercise his franchise at a booth near C K G College in Perambra, suddenly collapsed, Perambra police said. He was rushed to Perambra government hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead.

Polling started in the city and suburbs in a brisk note with many polling booths witnessing huge crowds amidst overcast condition.

PTI

11:37 (IST)

18.12% voting till 10 a.m

According to the most recent figures, 18.12 percent polling has been recorded in Kerala till 10 a.m, reported The Hindu

11:29 (IST)

People are angry about PM Modi's comparison of Kerala with Somalia: CM Chandy

There will be no result. People are angry about comparison made by him (PM ) of Kerala with Somalia: CM Chandy on BJP's chance in election

13.5 percent of the total voters cast their ballots in the first two and a half hours of polling on Monday in the ongoing Kerala state legislative assembly elections, reports ANI.

Alappuzha district topped the list with 12.95 percent turnout followed by Malappuram with 12.71 percent, with the state capital district - Thiruvananthapuram, last with just 8.12 percent votes, according to IANS.

Among the early voters were Pinarayi Vijayan, actor and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi and Congress MLA Sabarinath.

Even before polling began at 7 am, people had begun queueing up at various booths. Some parts of the state received
rain showers this morning.

At least 52,000 police personnel have been deployed across Kerala for the smooth conduct of the polls, with 3176 polling stations being identified as 'sensitive, critical and vulnerable', including 119 in naxal affected areas of four districts.

There are 21,498 regular polling stations and 148 auxiliary polling booths across the 140 assembly segments in the state.

The two-month long campaign saw ruling Congress-led UDF and CPI-M headed LDF engaging in a fierce battle, with BJP- NDA alliance also eyeing to open its account for the first time.

The coming of the BJP-led alliance in the polls is seen by political observers as an attempt to break the bipolar politics of the state, which has always chosen the rival fronts alternatively over the last several years.

The saffron party has tied up with Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), a newly floated party of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), an organisation of the backward Ezhava community.

Of the 2.60 crore electorate, 1.35 crore are women voters and two belong to the third gender. This is the first time the third gender figures in the electoral rolls in the state.

Several overseas voters, especially from north Kerala, have been coming to the state since the past few days to cast their franchise. The strength of the overseas electorate is 23,289.

Kerala voters from the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have also reached the state to exercise their franchise.